Dr Felix Liao
Dr Felix Liao is the 2025 recipient of the the Invisible Disabilities Association’s Healthy Living IDEAS Award. Dr Liao has been chosen based upon his nationally recognized expertise in Impaired Mouth Syndrome and Holistic Mouth Solutions as a leading airway-centered mouth doctor. Also as the inventor of Start Thriving Appliance®, he has led the way in the adoption of Holistic Mouth Solutions as the answer to Impaired Mouth Syndrome. Felix’s passion and leadership as a thought leader and healthcare innovator, a bestselling author and sought after speaker has helped fundamentally transform the breathing wellness industry and provide the possibility of healthier lives for millions living with invisible disabilities and illness.
Healthy Living IDEAS Award
Dr. Felix Liao is a nationally recognized pioneer in the field of airway-centered dentistry, renowned for his expertise in Impaired Mouth Syndrome and the development of Holistic Mouth Solutions. He coined the term “Impaired Mouth Syndrome” in 2017 to describe a mouth unable to support overall health, highlighting its critical role as an often-overlooked source of various dental, medical, and even mood-related issues. His comprehensive approach bridges the gap between traditional dentistry and whole-body wellness, emphasizing how jaw development and oral structure directly impact alignment, breathing, circulation, digestion, energy, and sleep.
As a leading airway-centered mouth doctor, Dr. Liao has significantly advanced the understanding and treatment of these complex issues. He is the inventor of the Start Thriving Appliance®, a key innovation used for test-driving and adopting Holistic Mouth Solutions as a fundamental answer to Impaired Mouth Syndrome. This appliance, along with his diagnostic tools like 3D Jaw Diagnostics®, enables a non-invasive, root-cause approach to transforming an impaired mouth into a holistic one, promoting natural healing and improved well-being.
Dr. Liao’s work profoundly impacts healthy living by demonstrating how correcting oral structural deficiencies can lead to significant improvements in a patient’s overall health and quality of life. His philosophy focuses on empowering the body’s innate healing capabilities by optimizing mouth structure and function, leading to reduced chronic pain, increased energy, better sleep, and less reliance on conventional medical interventions. Through his five bestselling books, including “Six-Foot Tiger, Three-Foot Cage,” which explains how a mouth that is too small for the tongue can lead to a host of health problems, and “Early Sirens,” which identifies critical health warning signs long before the onset of conditions like sleep apnea, training programs for other dental professionals, and ongoing patient care, Dr. Liao continues to champion a holistic perspective, making a lasting difference in how healthcare professionals and individuals view the vital connection between oral health and systemic wellness.
